BALTIC COAST, RUSSIA

Kaliningrad Oblast is a Russian semi-exclave in the northeast of the European Union, and one of the most heavily militarised areas in the world. It is bordered by Poland to the south, Lithuania to the north and east, and the Baltic Sea to the west, but there is little exchange between the oblast and the neighbours. Crossing the border, visiting friends, or going shopping on the other side are not regular activities as the European countries have introduced strict border controls. When residents of Kaliningrad Oblast want to travel to the rest of Russia, they are advised to go by plane to avoid having to physically cross into another country.

Recently, Lithuania even decided to build a barbed-wire fence to keep its Russian neighbours and their military activities at a safe distance. Meanwhile, its geographical isolation and rigorous border surveillance have significantly impeded the economic growth of the exclave.